Apparatus for treating ores.



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L .J .S1 M An D H.. W 2. nl 4, r3v A.. 7 nu N l APPARATUS FOR TRBATING GRES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.'l, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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\. )libsiylntllil No. 745,472. PATBNTED DEG. 1, 1903.

W. H. ADAMSVJB. APPARATUS PDR TREATING DRES. APPLwATmNYHLBn our. '1. 1902, No mmm.. v 2 sums-amm 2` Zz'fzes @e Ilya/ital Q p' @QW UNITED STATES Patented December 1, 19034.

PATENT Ottica.

YVILLIAM H. ADAMS, JR., OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO OMAR H. HUBBARD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS Fon TREATING oREs.

` SEECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,472, dated December 1, 1903.

Application tied october 7. 1902( seran No. 126.344. (No man.)v`

To all whom, t may con/cern:

Be it known thatl, WILLIAM H. ADAMS, .I r., a citizen ofl the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have inventeda new and useful Apparatus for Treating Orcs, of which the following is a specification.

Objects of this invention are as follows, viz: to provide for a thorough mixing, agitation, and commingling of the liquid pulp and chemical solution and to maintain the saine at all times and to provide for precipitation of values by electricity and for ready cleaning up. Provision is made for saving the free gold,and further provisionis made Whereby the precipitatioubox can be cleaned up without stopping the operation of the appaA ratus.

Another obj ect is lto so construct the apparatus as to accomplish the perfect and conetant agitation of the liquid material with the least expense of power and without any. appliance in 'the tank which will at any time be an obstruction in the way of the liquid orof the workmen.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for carrying on the cyaniding or other ohernical processes in which a pump is used for producing circulation and in which it is not l .around the Vtank ,1 and respectively connectnecessary to prime or charge the pump before starting the process into operation.A

Another objectfis to make provision foil keeping the coarse-ore values in constant suspension and continual motion and to pass only the fine material through the pump,v

thereby avoiding wear on the pump.

I also make provision for supplying excess of oxygen to the lighter and finer constitui-` ents of the charge and for then forcing the said lighter and liner material into the lower portion of the charge, whereY the oXygenized solution may act on the coarser material, and.

to continue the circulation ofthe lighter maferial from one reservoir into and through another reservoir, and so on.

Provision is also made for reversing the current of circulation and agitation and also for circulating differentportions of the contents of the main reservoir from right to left and from left to right at the same time.

I also make' provision for directing the coarser material ldownward and outward to that portion of the agitation-tank where the highly-oxygenized solution is forced in.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.. j

Figure I is a vertical section of apparatus adapted for carrying out my invention. Fig. II is aplan section on line Il II, Fig. I. Fig. III is an enlarged detail illustrating the construction of the freegold saving and remov ing appliances. Fig. IV is a transverse section of the precipitation -.boX, showing the electrical connections thereof.

1 is the main reservoir or agitation-tank, in which the charge of pulverized ore and cyanid potassium or other chemical solutions are placed.

2 is a pipe leading from the upper end of -.the main reservoir to a second reservoir,

jor reservoir 1 is desirably cylindrical.

12,13, and 14 are main pipes extending ed with the pipes 6, 7, and 8, which lead from the centrifugal pump. 15, 16, and 17 designate nozzles connected with said pipes 6, 7,

and 8 and arranged to discharge at intervals tangentially inside the agitation-tank. Each pipe is desirably furnished with a number of nozzles, so that the liquid thrown by the centrifugal pump will he forced at a number of points tangentially into the agitation-tank and will produce a rot-ation of the contents thereof. Said nozzles may be turned in different directions. In ordinary practice the lower nozzles 15 will all peint in one direction, so that when the valve 9 is open and valves 10 and 11 are closed the liquid will be discharged through said nozzles 15 and the liquid at the bottom of the agiat-ion-tanl; will be caused to rotate in one direction. The

nozzles 16 may be turned in the direction opposite to the nozzles 15, and if both valves 9 and 10 are open While the valve 11 is closed IOO the lower strata of liquid in the tank will be rotated in one direction, While the strata immediately abovewill be rotated in the-other direction. lf the upper nozzles 17 are turned in the direction corresponding to that of the nozzles 15 and the three valves 9, 10, and 11 are left open at the same time, then the liquid at the top and bottom will be whirled in one direction, while the intermediate body of liquid will be rotated in another direction, thus producing a more thorough agitation and stirring up. By first opening the valves for supplying only those nozzles which point in one direction, and thereby setting up a rotation of the charge in one direction and then closing said valves and opening valves for supplying nozzles which point in a reverse direction, a thorough breaking up ot' the charge may be effected at any time desired.

18 is a conical bottom in the agitation-tank. This desirably terminates in an apex 19 at the axis of the tank 1.

2O is a riflied gutter around the base ot` the cone 18 to receive the coarse gold which may settle to the bottom of the tank.

2l designates riflie-plates, which may be of cast-iron or other suitable material, fitted around the base of the cone 18 and furnished with transverse slots 22 and cross-bars 23 and adapted to be readily removed.

24: designates amalgamating-plates fitted upon the conical surface of the oor or bottom 18.

The precipitation-box may be of any desired construction and preferably has a sloping fioor 25, leading to the pipe 4.-.

26 is a removable frame fitted in the precipitation-box and provided with anodes 27 and cathodes 2S to effect the precipitation and collection of the metals. The same have faces which desirably extend transversely of the vertical, so as to facilitate the collection of the metal with as low amperage as possible. Said frame 26 is removable, so that the anodes and cathodes may be removed for cleaning without disturbing the operation of the apparatus. the cathodes may be removed and replaced with others, whereupon the frame may be returned for further treatment of the flowing contents of the precipitation-box. Connection is made to these anodes and cathodes by Wires or conductors 34 and 35, which are protected with insulating-coverings 36, so as to eifectually insulate said wires when they pass through -the liquid as far as the points where they connect with the respective anodes and cathodes. Wires 34, connected to the posit-ive side of the circuit, are connected to the respective anodes 27, and wires 35, leading from the negative side of the circuit, are connected to the respective cathodes 2S, alternating with the anodes. Connectors 37 may be used to connect the wires 34: 35 with the circuit-Wires 38 39, and any suitable electric generator (not shown) may be connected in said circuit to supply electric energy.

Vhen the frame is removed,

Said precipitation-box serves as a reservoir for the reception of the liquid from the top of the agitation-tank.

The pipe 2, whichconnects the agitation tank or reservoirl with the precipitation-box and pump-reservoir 3, is desirably located slightly below the charge-level of the agitation-tank, so that the liquid flows gently from the agitation-tank and only the lightergravities and the finer material are drawninto the precipitation-box and pump-reservoir 3. By the arrangement shown the pump is not required to lift any load, but is under gravitypressure and is always charged for use, and the only Work required of it is to keep the liquid in circulation and to force the same through the nozzles which may be open with sufficient velocity to set up and maintain the desired agitation and circulation within the tank 1. The pump and the number and size of the nozzles will be proportioned relative to the size of the agitation-tank 1 andthe grav- Vity of the charge to be treated.

In practical use where the gravity of the material is light all three rows of nozzles 15, 16, and 17 may be operated at the same time; but when the gravities of the material constituting the charge are heavy it may be desirable to operate only one row of nozzles at a time in order to give the discharge from the nozzles a greater velocity, and it may be desirable from time to time to change from the use of only one of the rows of nozzles to the use of two or more rows, thus changing the velocity of the current in the tank and causing the desired agitation, circulation, and mixing. This is heightened by the use at different times of nozzles pointing in different directions. In case the charge has been set to whirling in one direction at such a velocity as to suspend or carry certain of the materials in eddies then by changing from the nozzles which had set up such rotation to nozzles which point in another direction the whole bodyof liquid is broken up and the currentchanged and the liquid isfully mixed.

It is evident from the foregoing that different lines of nozzles may be so arranged that they may be operated in such a manner as to thoroughly and completely agitate and at the same timeA continue in constant motion all of the particles of ore being treated, so that the same may come into contact with the same strength of chemical fluid, and thereby the values may be dissolved in a short period of time. When the charge within. the tank is whirling, the centrifugal action causes the surface of the liquid to rise at the periphery and lower at the center ofthe tank,and the tendency of the coarser material is to settle toward the center ofthe tank and onto the conical bottom,where it passes down over the cone and over the amalgamating-plates 24. As it approaches the base of the cone it is brought into the path of the more-rapidly circulating liquid, set in motion by the streams from the nozzles, and is thereby forced into suspension IOO IIO

vby the riiies in the gutter at the base of the cone. The cone extends approximately to the wall of the tank l in order to thus bring the coarser and heavier materials to where they will be acted upon by the newly-oxygenized solution and also for the purpose of limiting the body cf the charge which is subjected to the action of the streams from the nozzle.

29 is a draw-off valve for drawing oi the treated pulp and exhausted solution.

30 is a valve for drawing olf the amalgam from the bottom of the gutter.

The ride-plates 2i are desirably castLiron frames having transverse slots forming crossbars, which will serve as rifdes.

In practical operation a charge of mercury will be placed in the rifded gutter,` then a charge of pulverized ore may be placed in the agitation-tank Land then the requisite charge of cyanid solution or other chemical solution appropriate for treatingthe ore may be introduced into the tank l, illingthe same to above the mouth of the pipe 2, through which the liquid will dow into the precipitation-box and thence through the pump and into the pipes of thepsystem. Then the pump will be put into operation, thus forcing the' liquid into the mass of pulverized ore, soon bringing the same into suspension in the liquid and mixing and agitating the entire charge. The lighter and finer materials will be carried to the top and by centrifugal force to the wall of the tank, wherethe mouth of the pipe 2 is located, and will tlow into the precipitationbox over the anodes and cathodes and thence to the centrifugal pump,from which it willbe forced into the agitation-tank. The heavier particles which settle at the axis of the tank. pass down over the amalgamating-plates, an

the free gold not caught by the said plates may passintotheguttersand becaught by the riiles and mercury. Theoperationis thuscontin'ued until the extraction ofthe values is completed. This'may take a greater or less period of time, depending upon the character of the ores being treated. W'ith some ores the values may be extracted in four hours and with others it may take six, eight, or ten hours treatment. From time to time as the cathodes become plated With the precious metals the precipitation -frame 26 may be removed and the plated cathodes removed and replaced with` new. This operation may not be required until a number of charges of ore have been Y valve into a tank (not shownland allowed to worked. Nhen the precious metals have been extracted from the ore, the liquid solution and tailings are drawn offthroughthe settle, and then the clear solution will .be drawn off and restandardized to be used over again. The tailings will be disposed of and the operation continued'as before.v Whenf ever the amalgamating-plates 24 have become sufficiently plated, they may be cleaned or removed when the charge has been drawn od, and when the operator upon inspection of the contents of the riftle-gutter nds that the amalgam is ready for cleaning up he will lift the riflies out of the gutter, open the valve `30, and sweep the amalgam to the valve 30 'and allow it to be drawn off, after which the rifdes may be recharged and the" plates redressed and a new charge of ore and solution placed in the apparatus and the operation performed as before.

The cathodes may be of thin sheet-lead,

copper, or other material suitable for the purpose, and the same when plated may be melted into ingots ready for shipment to the smelter or reiinery. Y By providing two reservoirs, a pump, and connections for drawing liquid from one and forcing it into the other of the reservoirs and means for drawing liquid from the upper part of said other reservoir to the one reservoir the charge of pulp and solution may be simultaneously subject in one portion to agitation and brought to approximate rest at another portion, so that the agitating action and the precipitating action are proceeding simultaneously in diderent port-ions Vof the charge being treated.

The advantages of providing'a reservoir in which the charge is approximately quiet are that the anodes and cathodes are not subjected to the severe scouring action of the circulating charge and coarse and heavy gravities, andthere is also provided a reservoir for oxygenizing the solution and the lighter and finer portions of the charge. f

The connectionZ between the upper vportions of the reservoirs is desirably of greater capacity or cross-sectional area than the pipe 4 which supplies the pump, so that the pipe 2 acts practically as a reservoir for the liquid, and the liquid ows gently by gravity from the agitation-reservoir and is not .drawn therefrom, and therefore only the lighter gravities are drawn od, thus saving wear on the pump and other parts ot' thesystem.

The reservoir may be of any desired form and construction suitable for the work to whichv the apparatus is to be put, and in some cases it may be unnecessary or undesirable tomake any provision for precipitation in the apparatus. In such cases the connectins for supplying the pump from the upper portieri ot' thecharge in ltheagitationkthey are shown arranged in contact continuously around the base of the cone; but it is to be understood that where there is liability of too much scouring action a less number of plates will be employed with spaces between.

The precipitation-frame 26 may be formed of grooved uprights 3l and slats 32. The liquid will percolate down through the interstices between the slats, the anodes and cathodes, and the wall of the box 3.

The collecting-faces of the cathodes should be arranged as nearly in horizontal planes as may be found advisable in practice. In the drawings the plates are shown at as great a slant as I deem ever advisable. The object ot' arranging the plates transversely of a vertical is to allow gravity to assist in the deposition of the metal. By the arrangement shown an electric current of low amperage will cause a better precipitation and the metal 2o precipitated will set more firmly upon the plate than will be the case with a high amperage. In case any of the metal to be deposited is thrown ol by reason of too high amperageagravity will again bring it to rest. I have found in actual practice, furthermore, that when the plates are arranged approaching the horizontal to a greater or less extent the nearer they approach the horizontal the more solid will be the character of the metal deposited.

The nozzles 15 are arranged to discharge into the tank exteriorly of the conical bottom tangentially in an approximately horizontal plane. The same is true of the nozzles 16 and also of the nozzles 17. By this arrangement the material in the tank is kept iiuid without any tendency to drive the precious metal away from the'gutter 23. The nozzles being arranged in series, as 15, 16, and 17, at different levels, enables the operator at his discretion to regulate the agitation or circulation to a nicety.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination of a tank, a box, a pipe at the top of the tank connecting the same with the box, a pump connected with the box, and nozzles connected with the pump and arranged to discharge liquid into the tank at intervals tangentially in an approximately horizontal plane.

2. A tank, a pump, means connecting the pump with the tank to supply the pump with liquid from the tank, and nozzles connected with the pump and arranged at intervals to discharge tangentially into the tank in an approximately horizontal plane.

3. A tank, a precipitation-box, means connecting said tank with said box to supply liquid thereto, a pump arranged to draw liquid from the box,nozzles connected with the pump to discharge said liquid tangentially into the tank, and removable precipitating devices in the precipitation-box, said devices having collecting-faces extending transversely of the Vertical.

4. A tank, a precipitation-box, a pipe connecting the tank with the precipitation-box, a pump connected with the precipitation-box, nozzles connected with the pump for discharging liquid tangentially into the tank, a removable t'rame in the precipitation-box, and removable plates in said frame extending transversely of a vertical.

5. A tank, a pump, means connecting the tank with the pump to supply liquid thereto from the tank, nozzles connected with the pump and arranged to discharge into the tank, some of said nozzles being pointed in one direction around the tank, and other of said nozzles pointed in the opposite direction around the tank.

6. A tank provided with a conical floor, and a gutter around the base of the cone, plates in saidgutter, and means for drawing liquid from the top of the tank and returning it to the bottom of the tank.

7. A tank having a conical bottom which slopes upwardly and inwardly,amalgamating plates on said bottom exteriorly of the cone and between the cone and the walls of the tank, and means for drawing liquid from the upper portion of the tank and discharging it into the lower portion of the tank.

8. A tank having a conical bottom, and around and exteriorly to the base of the cone, a series of riflies, and means for drawing liquid from the tank and discharging it tangentially into the tank.

9. The combination with a tank of a precipitation-box, a removable frame in the box, means in the box for precipitating the values from ore-pulp, means for conducting liquid from the tank to the box and means for returning the liquid to the tank at different levels.

10. A tank, a pump, means connecting the upper portion of the tank with the pump, nozzles arranged in a plurality of rows, the nozzles of one row pointing in one direction in the tank, and the nozzles of another row pointing in another direction in said tank.

11. Apparatus for treating ore comprising a circular reservoir having a conical bottom and a gutter around the cone; removable riflies in the gutter and means located just above the riftles for producing a circulation of liquid around the base of the cone.

l2. A tank; nozzles arranged to discharge tangentially in one direction in the tank; nozzles arranged to discharge tangentially in an opposite direction in the tank; means for drawing liquid from the tank and forcing it into the tank through said nozzles; means for controlling the supply of the nozzles of one direction, and means for controlling the supply of the nozzles of the other direction.

13. A tank; nozzles for discharging liquid -tangentially in one direction in thetank;

nozzles above the level of the first-named nozzles for discharging liquid tangentially in an opposite direction in the tank; other nozzles above the level of` the last-mentioned IOO IZO

nozzles for discharging liquid tangentially in the tank in a direction opposite that of the last-mentioned nozzles; means for drawing liquid from the tank and forcing the saine through said nozzles; and means for controlling the nozzles of said different levels independently of each other;

- 14. A tank havinga conical bottom; means around the cone for collecting metals; nozzles for discharging liquid tangentially in one direction in the tank; nozzles above the level of the iirst-narned nozzles for discharging liquid tangentially in an opposite direction in the tank; other nozzles above the level of the last-mentioned nozzles for discharging liquid tangentially in the tank in a direction opposite that of the last-mentioned nozzles;

means for drawing liquid from the tank and forcing the same through said nozzles; and means for controlling the nozzles of the different levels independently of each other.

l5. A tank having a conical bottom; means around the cone for collecting metals, and

means for circulating liquid in different directions in the tank.l e

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, at Los Angeles, in 

